IT WORKS!!! The laser cutter frame that we built using off the shelf components has x, y and z movement controlled by GRBL. It needs to be calibrated and other fun stuff like that, but I am ridiculously proud of it. Pictures later.
This is the current state of our laser cutter/engraver. As long as it works it will have a cutting area of about 50cmx50cm.
At the moment it has some bits held on with clamps and we still need to make a better system for tensioning the belt for moving the x axis, but it works, at least in that it moves on three axes and moves consistently as far as we can tell without putting the laser on it and trying to repeat a complex cut a bunch of times.
@inmysocks what can you cut with it?
@inmysocks could it, in theory, be used to cut sandwiches into complex shapes?
@inmysocks cooooool
@InTheLandOfTheRisingSun in theory yes. Andrew that you have mentioned it, once I get it working I think I will have to do that.